Hopper



Oct. 6, 1936. J. H. WALTER 2,056,239

v 'HOPPER Original Filed Nov. 25, 1932 1h12 CZ; zo 40 J0 652 #dit .l

Patented Oct.. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICE HOPPER Joseph HrWalter, Springfield, Ohio, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Steel Products Engineering Company, Springfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 'l anims. (ci. 22T-ris) The present invention relates to improvements in fuel hoppers, and has particular reference to a new and improved hopper adapted for under-A feed fuel stokers as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 644,247, filing date November 25, 1932, of which this application is a division.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel upright fuel hopper which comprises an inlet opening atthe top with one edge at a relatively low elevation for the convenient introduction of fuel, and which is adjustablev selectively into any one of a plurality of diierentpositions best adapted to the environment of Sithe Stoker.

Further objectsv and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing. Figure 1 'is a fragmentary side elevational View of a hopper embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof-the hopper.

Fig. 3 is a -vertical sectionalview taken along Fig. 4 is a perspective'view of the hopper showing the sides in separated relation.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and. will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but

it is to be understood that I do not therebyintend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications andalternative constructions falling within the spirit vand scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended ciaims.

Referring. more particularly to the drawing, the hopper comprises a base 5, and an upright superstructure 6 mounted on the base. While the baseA 5 may be provided in various forms, it is .herein shown as particularly adapted for an underfeed fuel stoker, and hence as comprising a vertical rear Wall l, an inclined forward wall 8 and oppositely inclined side walls 9 and Ill defining an upwardly opening generally V- shaped trough II. Preferably, two spaced depending brackets I2 and I3, on opposite ends of the base 5, rest on a foundation I4 to support the hopper and its attachments. The front bracket I2 is integral with and extends forwardly of the front wall 8, and is formed with an elongated cylindrical bearing sleeve I5 in alinement with the apex of the trough Il. An external horizontal sleeve I 6 formed on the rear wall 'I and to which a fuel duct I'I is connected defines an outletl opening also in alinement with the trough II. A fuel conveyor I8, preferably of the screw type, extends along the trough Il through the outlet sleeve I6 into the duct il, and the apex of the trough conforms generally to the cylindrical contour of the conveyor* vane. The forward end of the conveyor I8 extends through the sleeve I5 for attachment to a suitable driving transmission indicated generally at I9.

To afford convenient and ready access to the interior of the hopper base 5 -where the conveyor I8 enters the sleeve Iii, an opening 20 is formed partly in'the top of the sleeve and partly in the wall I at the juncture. That part of the opening 2li inthe wall 'l may be viewed as an enlargement of the outlet opening to the sleeve it. An angular plate` 2l is removably secured against the wall l and the top of the sleeve I6 to close the opening 20, and preferably has an inward projection 22 to preserve the cylindrical contour of the outlet opening and to define an upper 20 shearing edge coacting with the vane of the conveyor i8. It will be evident that any obstructions coming between theshearing edge and the conveyorvane and tending to stall the conveyor .can quickly be removed through the opening 25 5 without emptying the hopper.Y`

The superstructure 6 which constitutes the hopper proper comprises an outwardly inclined front wall 23 with a horizontalV upper flanged edge 24, a vertical rear wall 25 having a hori- 30 zontal flanged edge 26 located substantially above the edge 2li, and vertical side walls-2i and 28 with upper inclined flanged edges 29 and 3U. While the hopper walls may be joined in any suitable manner, preferably, the front and rear walls 23 and 25 have vertical side flanges 3l and 32 overlying the side walls 2l and. 28 and riveted thereto. It will be evident that the edges 24, 26, 29 and 30 at the top of the hopper constitute an inlet opening which is inclined with the edge 24 depressed for the convenience of the attendant in throwing in fuel. f Stokers are installed under widely varyin conditions. In some instances, it might be extremely inconvenient to charge fuel into the hopper from the front end of the stoker. One of the features of the invention therefore resides in so constructing the hopper that in assembling the superstructure 6 with the base 1, the inlet opening, andparticularly the lower edge 24 50 thereof, may be orientated to best adapt it to the installation for which the stoker is intended.

Thus, in the preferred form, the top of the hopper base 5 is square in shape so that the upper portion S of the hopper may be orientated thereon as desired in any one of iour different positures in the form of grooves 31, 38,39' and ,48

adapted to intert with the ahges 331.0 38.

Preferably, each of the grooves 31 to l0 is dened by strikingthe lower marginal portion of the 4wall rst outwardly, then downwardly and then inwardly.

In assembling the hopper, three of the upper walls, for example the walls 25, 21 and 28, may

be joined together into a unitary structure, and may then be positioned on the base l-by sliding the grooves 39 and lll of the two extreme wallsV 21 and 28 longitudinally onto any twoopposite flanges, for example the flanges and. 38, until the groove 38 of the intermediate wall 2l intertits with one of the remaining flanges, for example the flange 33. .Them the remaining wall, namely the wall 23, .may be secured to the walls 21 and 28, with its groove 31 receiving the remaining flange 3l, thereby completely coupling the superstructure 6 to the hopper base 5. In the position shown, /the lowest` wall 23 constitutes a straight continuation of the inclined base wall 8, and hence fuel may be introduced con-4 veniently from the front end of the stoker. However, the hopper structure 8 may be located selectively in any one of four different positions on the base 5, so that if, in a particular stolzer installation, introduction of4 fuel, for example from the side is desirable, the edge 24 can be orientated to that side.

Also by removing the rivets, one wall. for exl ample the wall 23, can be separated from the rest of the hopper, and the latter can thereupon be removed as a unitary three-wall structure from the base I merely by a transverse sliding movement to disengage the channels 38, 33 and I8' from' the flanges 33, 3l and 3l.

I claim as my. invention: Y

1. In a stoker, in combination, a hopper base having an inlet opening and an external marginal ange about said opening. the outer perimeter of said flange being square, d a hopper seated on said base, and having a y hargeopening adapted to be located in registration with said inlet opening, said hopper having grooves receiving the four sides of said flange, said hopper being adapted to be secured to said flange in any one of four diiferent positions.

2.v In a stoker, in combination, avertical hopper base having two side walls and two end walls and formed in the bottomwith a horizontal AV- vshaped trough, a horizontal discharge duct opening from said base through one of said end walls and in alignment with said trough, the upper edges of saidfwalls denning a rectangular inlet opening and each being formed with an external marginal iiange, a vertical hopper superimposed on said base, said hopper having four upright walls defining a square outlet at the lower edges adaptedA to be located in registration with said iirst mentioned inlet interchangeably in four differentrelative positions. the upper margins of said hopper walls defining an inlet, with-the edge of one wall at a relatively low elevation for the.

convenient introduction of fuel, each hopper wall being formed along its lower margin with an inwardly facing groove slidably embracing the flange on the contlguous wall o! said base. one of said hopper walls being removably secured in place. v

3. In a stoker, in combination, a hopper base having an inlet and Va rectangular mounting flange about said inlet,l and a sectional hopper having four separately formed side walls delining an outlet, each wall terminating in an inwardly facing channel structure in contiguous relation to the channels kof Aadjacent walls and dening a rectangular retaining means about said outlet adapted to slidably interilt with said-flange in any one of a plurality of diiferent angular positions with said outletin registration with .said inlet, three of said walls being adapted to be assembled into a unitary structure slidable o nto said base into any one of said positions with the respectivechannels engaging said flange, and the fourth wall being adapted to be secured to said structure with its channel also the ilange to complete the assembly-of the hopper;

4. In a stoker, in combination, a vertical hopper base having two side walls and two walls and :amnsie e bottom with a horizontally vshaped trough, ay rizontal discharge duct opening from said base through one of said end walls, the upper edges of said walls dening arectallsular inlet opening and each being formed with an external marginal ange. a' vertical hopper vsuperimposed on said base and having two upright side walls and two Upright end walls dening arectangular outlet at their lower edges adapted to be located in registration with said first mentioned inlet interchangeably in any one of four different relative positions, the upper margins of said hopper walls delining an' inlet, with one edge at a relatively low elevation for the convenient introduction of fuel. said end walls ot said hopper being formed along their side marginswithlateralandinwardlyextendingiianges said nde wsu; of ma hoppermung inside of .tiguousbasewalL perlutsehavi'ngtwo'sidewallsandtwoendwalls,l

base through one of said walls, the upper edges oi' said walls denning a rectangular inlet opening andeachbeingformedwithanexternelmarginal ange, a vertical sectional hopper superimposed on said base and having two upright side walls `and two upright endwalls denningarectangular outlet at their lower edges adapted to be' located in registration with said iirst mentioned inlet interchangeably in any one-ot a plurality of diiferent angular positions, the upper end of -said hopper having an inlet with one edge at a relatively low elevation for -the convenient introduction of fuel, one ofsaid hopper walls oi' each two adjacent walls beingformed along one side margin with a lateral and inwardly extending nange overlapping with and secured to the other of said walls, the lower4 margin of each hopper wall being` struck outwardly, then downwardly and then inwardly to define an inwardly opening groove slidably embracing\the iiangeon the con-7 tiguous base wall. Y v

6. In a stoker, in combination, a vertical hopper basehavingtwosidewallsandtwomdwallaai' horizontal discharge duct opening from said base through one of said walls, the upper edges of said walls dening a rectangular inlet opening and each beingA formed with an external marginal flange, a vertical sectional hopper superimposed on said base and having two upright side walls and two upright end walls dening a, rectangular outlet at their lower edges adapted to be located in registration with said inlet, one of said hopper walls being separately formed and independently secured to the remainder of the hopper, the lower margins of the hopper walls being struck outwardly, then downwardly and then inwardly to dene inwardly opening grooves slidably embracing the ange on the contiguous base walls.

7. In a stoker, in combination, an upright hopper base having a rectangular wall structure defining an inlet at the top, an upright hopper mounted .on said base and having an outlet at its lower end in registration with said inlet, said hopper having four connected walls rising respectively from the four sides of said wall structure, and interflttlng slidable substantially horizontal spline connections between said hopper walls and the sides of said base wall structure for securing the hopper to said base, one of said .hopper Walls being removable to permit said hopper to be removed from said base by a transverse sliding movement to separate said connection and when secured in position being effective to loci: said hopper on said base through the medium of said connections.

JOSEPH H. WALTER. 

